Helen Bentley (née Delich; November 28, 1923 – August 6, 2016) was an American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland from 1985 to 1995.

[6] While at high school, she had her first experiences of journalism and politics while working on the weekly newspaper of Ely, Nevada, which was published by Republican state legislator Charles Russell.

[4] She initially reported on labor and union matters, but was subsequently allocated maritime and waterfront news, a significant beat in a city and state whose port contributed heavily to the economy.

[4][8] She became a widely respected maritime reporter, dealing with people from dock workers to state politicians, and also writing for port agencies and shipping companies.

[6] Beginning in 1950, Bentley hosted a local Baltimore TV program on WMAR, The Port That Built a City, presenting maritime and transportation-related news.

[9] Later retitled The Port That Built a City and State, the series was produced by Bentley until 1965 and included then-novel live remotes from the decks of ships in Baltimore harbor during the early years of television.

President Johnson became aware of her report, and subsequently improvements were made to port facilities in Cam Ranh Bay to relieve pressure on Saigon.

Despite an endorsement from the incumbent Democratic governor William Donald Schaefer,[11] she was defeated in the Republican primary by the more conservative Ellen Sauerbrey.